Sailor Moon: The Inside Story
by MoonKent
Summary: The anime is called Sailor Moon and we all know the story. But how did the characters really feel? Experience the story again, through the eyes of your favorite character!


(Note: You do not have to read every character's point of view. You may scroll down until you find the character you want.)

Views: Usagi, Mamoru, Luna

* * *

**Usagi:**

"Usagi! It's past 8 o'clock!"

I snuggled deeper into the covers. It was far too early to get up. Suddenly the impact of the words '8 o'clock' hit me. I shrieked and threw myself out of bed, glancing at my alarm clock. 8:15! If I didn't hurry, I'd be late for school! Again! I rushed around the room, throwing on my uniform, throwing up my hair, and throwing my books into my bag. I gave my teeth a once-over with my toothbrush and bolted down the stairs. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier, Mom!" I shouted.

"I tried," she replied calmly. "Three times. Each time you said you were getting up, remember?"

"No, I don't remember!" I rushed to find the last of my things.

"Oh, and Usagi?"

"What! I'm in a hurry!" I cried.

"Don't you want your lunch?"

I looked around the corner to see her holding a small bag. "Oh, yeah." I snatched it and ran for the door. Practically jumping into my shoes, I bolted out.

I yawned as I ran. "Why does morning have to come so early?" I moaned. "I'm still so sleepy." I nearly tripped over my own feet as I yawned again and rounded a corner.

The sounds of shouting drew my attention and briefly made me forget how tired I was. I looked over into a parking lot. A group of boys was huddled around something. "Hey, cat, start barking!" "You want spider for lunch, kitty?" "Look, now it's a stuffed cat!"

Outraged, I ran over, yelling. "Hey! Stop that!" The boys immediately bolted. "I can't believe it," I said. "Those boys picking on a poor, defenseless cat." I knelt down next the still, black form. "It's okay now, kitty." Carefully, I picked it up and looked it over for any sign of injury. I couldn't see anything, except for a pair of band-aids criss-crossed over its head. I reached over and carefully starting pulling them off. Immediately the cat started scratching my face and arms. "Hey! Knock it off! I'm trying to help you!" With a sharp yank, the band-aids came off, taking several black hairs with them. I quickly dropped the cat and it sprang away to the top of a car, where it stared down at me with large, almost red, eyes. I stared back nervously. "Is something wrong kitty? I didn't hurt you too bad, did I? You already the moon-shaped bald spot, right?" The cat continued its study of me.

Suddenly a bell rang in the distance. "Ahh! I don't have time for this!" I wailed. "Now I'm really going to be late!" Forgetting all about the cat, I bolted the rest of the way to school.

_Please don't let her see me, please don't let her see me,_ I pleaded silently. Unfortunately, she did. As soon as I stepped foot into the classroom, she whirled on me. "Tsukino Usagi-san! You're late again! Out into the hallway!" With a shove, she pushed me outside and slammed the door.

"Aww, how can she be so mean, forcing a fragile girl to stand in the hallway," I whined, half-hoping that someone would hear me and take pity on me, and half-fearing that someone would hear me and send me to detention.

Suddenly, my stomach rumbled loudly. I hadn't realized how hungry I was, but now, just thinking about my lack of food made me feel faint. Looking down at the bag of lunch that I still held in my hand, I realized that I could solve that problem right now. First I glanced up the hallway and then down the hallway. Then I sneaked a glance back toward the classroom door. Surely I was safe to have a few bites, at least.

Kneeling down, I opened my lunch and pulled out a small box containing vegetables and rice and a pair of chopsticks. "I did skip breakfast, so it must be time for me to eat!" I justified.

Before I could take even one bite however, I heard the classroom door open. Groaning, I turned to see Haruna-sensei, my teacher, glaring at me. "What are you doing, Tsukino-san?" she questioned. I tried to frame some sort of reply. "This is why you're getting failing grades!" She held up my latest test and I cringed. It was covered with red ink and at the top a large 30 had been scribbled.

"Only 30 percent?" I cried. Now I was going to be in trouble when I got home too. I dropped my head and moaned. My day was just getting worse by the minute.

Haruna-sensei dragged me back into class and plopped me into my seat. I sank low to avoid the stares of my fellow classmates. Haruna-sensei began droning on about some such subject or whatever. I felt my eyes sink lower and lower and head tipped down so that it was nearly on the desk.

"Tsukino-san!" Her sharp voice yanked me out drowsy-land.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Perhaps you could repeat to me what I just said."

"Um...um..." I stuttered, looking around for inspiration. "You were talking about..." I spotted some kind of equation on the board. "Math! You're talking about math!"

Her eyes narrowed. "Or perhaps I was talking about the basics of chemistry. Why don't you come up here and solve the problem on the board for us?"

Moaning and whining silently, I made my way to the front of the room, where I stumbled and flunked my way through the problem. After the class had had a good share of laughter, I was allowed back to me seat. Throughout the rest of the day, every time I blinked for more than two seconds, Sensei was next to me. Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep.

Finally, the first part of school was over and I was released to temporary freedom...and lunch. I met my best friend, Naru, outside. I expected her to sympathize with me, but I was mistaken.

"Man, Usagi-chan, I cannot believe you! You're a girl and you were going to eat your lunch early?"

"I'm a growing girl!" I protested. "Can't you understand?"

She appeared to be seriously contemplating her answer when another student walked up. I shuddered inwardly. _Umino._

"Usagi-san!" he said, adjusting his coke-bottle glasses. "How did you do on your test?"

"Can't you tell by how depressed she is?" Naru told him. "Of course she did bad!" Suddenly she realized what she had said. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did I hurt your feelings, Usagi-chan?"

_So much for my best friend sticking up for me,_ I grumbled inwardly.

"You don't have to be so upset!" Umino said brightly. "I didn't get a perfect this time because I didn't really try." He held up his test with a 95 written across the top. I clenched my teeth. Was everybody trying to put me down today? "A test is like a game," Umino continued, unaware of my discomfort.

"How annoying!" Naru said. She turned to me and swiftly changed the subject. "Hey, did you hear that Sailor V appeared again?"

I lifted my head. "Sailor V?"

"Yeah. She caught the robbers from the jewelry heist."

I was impressed. "Wow!"

"Isn't it great?" Naru continued.

I paused. "What's a Sailor V?"

Naru looked at me in chagrin. "Don't be so impressed if you don't know her!"

Umino popped up again, spewing his latest information. "Sailor V is the heroine in a school uniform that's been causing an uproar." He leaned closer. "There's a rumor that she's actually a special agent from the police department."

I put a finger to my forehead and thought for a moment. "If there's stuff like that happening, then it's definitely the end of the century," I said with conviction.

Naru either ignored my or didn't hear me. "Gems are so beautiful, I can see why someone would want to steal them."

I sighed with her. "I know what you mean. I want to have a diamond ring." I envisioned it on my hand. _I would look so elegant._

"I want ruby earrings!" Naru said.

"I wish!" I rubbed my hands together thoughtfully, ignoring the way that Umino appeared to be getting more and more uncomfortable with all the jewelry talk.

"Oh yeah!" Naru suddenly grabbed my arm. "My mom's store has been having a sale since yesterday. Want to come?"

I jumped up happily. "A jewelry sale?"

She nodded. "There's rings and stuff that even we can buy!"

"Really! I'll be there!" I grinned happily.

"Okay then, come on over on your way home!"

"I can't wait! I wish school would end soon!" Naru and I linked arms and trotted off, chatting about what we would buy, and leaving Umino staring after us.

How I managed to finish school that day, I don't know. The minute we could leave, I grabbed my stuff and bolted out. Naru-chan wasn't quite as quick as I was, so I had to stand outside waiting for her. I hopped from one foot to the other and was in the midst of considering whether to go back in and drag her out, when she finally appeared.

"Come on, Usagi-chan!" We linked arms and skipped happily down the street.

Osa-P's Jewelry Store was pretty close the school. The store was downstairs and Naru and her parents lived above it. It was a pretty nice place, as her family was well off and did well in business. Naru and I often liked to come here after school and look at the jewelry together. It was nearly impossible to get in today, however, as there were so many people that they spilled outside.

Squeezing our way through, we tried to see past all of the people who were trying on various rings and necklaces. Finally, we were able to spot Naru's mother. She was holding a megaphone and shouting, "Thank you for always choosing us! Welcome! Welcome! Please feel free to try anything on!"

This was a side of her that I'd never seen before. Apparently, Naru was a little surprised too, as she said, "Mom's awfully into it."

"Maybe she's inspired," I offered. We watched as she continued to shout and move her way around the store. Eventually, she stopped and just stood there.

"Mom!" Naru called, as we made our way to her.

She jumped as though startled and turned to look at us. "Ah! Welcome home, Naru-chan!"

"I brought my friend," Naru said, gesturing to me.

"Hello!" I said with a smile and a slight bow.

She smiled. "Thank you for coming. It's crowded, but please look around."

"Sure! Thanks!" I grinned.

"I know," she continued. "Since you are Naru-chan's friend, I'll give you a discount!"

"Really?" I asked. "Oh, I'm so lucky!" Pushing ahead of Naru, who stood looking at her mother strangely, I followed Osaka-san to the counter.

She held out a jewel in a beautiful box. "How about this diamond? It usually costs about 500,000 yen."

"500,000 yen?" I gaped.

"But for you, I'll lower it to only 30,000!"

Unable to contain myself, I burst out, "500,000 to 30,000?"

Immediately a barrage of women shoved past Naru and I. We were knocked to the ground as they dove to get the diamond. We struggled to get to our feet, but after several unsuccessful attempts, we settled for crawling out the pack of people.

I breathed easier once we were at the door and able to stand up again. Naru and watched the people shout and yell at each other in their hurry to get the bargain. "Wow, look at them!" Naru commented.

"500,000 to 30,000 yen..." I still couldn't believe it. "I want it!"

Naru turned to me. "Why don't you ask your dad?"

I bit my lip, thinking about it. "But...I failed my English test."

"Oh, yeah..." she remembered. She thought for a second. "What about your allowance?"

I moaned. "I already used up my allowance for this month."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "Be strong, Usagi-chan."

Her words didn't help me much and it wasn't long before I left the store. Hanging my head, I dragged my feet down the sidewalk.

I pulled my test out and looked at the large, red 30. "I should have studied harder." The red marks seemed to mock me and point out what a failure I was. "Oh, die!" I shouted in frustration, balling the test up and throwing it over my shoulder. I continued on my way home, determined to forget about it.

"Hey, that hurt, dumpling head!" a voice called.

I jumped and whirled. "I'm sorry-" I stopped as I saw him holding up the test and looking at it.

"Thirty percent?" he asked in disbelief. He lowered the test and I could see that he was laughing.

"Hey!" I shouted.

"Study harder, dumpling head," he snickered. The light glinted off of his sunglasses. I was sure that, underneath, his eyes were mocking me as well.

"It's none of your business!" I yelled, maintaining as much dignity as possible. I stomped over and snatched the test from his hand. Then I abandoned the dignity charade by sticking out my tongue and making a face. _That'll teach him,_ I thought, marching away.

When I was a slight distance off, I turned to look back. He was staring at the jewelry store like he had X-ray vision or something. "What a weirdo," I muttered. _Even though he does look cute, with that black hair and that tall figure..._ I shook the thoughts out of my head. No way could anyone who acted like he did be cute. With a toss of my head, I resumed my walk home.

About halfway there, I passed the Crown Game Center. Eager to get home and see if there was any way that I could get Dad to buy me that diamond, I decided not to go in. However, a poster on the wall attracted my attention. "Brand New Sailor V game!" the poster advertised. "Sailor V?" I wondered. Then I remembered what Umino and Naru had said earlier. "Wow, they made a game already?"

I looked closer at the picture of the girl who was Sailor V. She wore an outfit similar to my school uniform, but more elaborate, and the skirt was shorter. Much shorter. She wore white elbow-length gloves and a scarlet mask. A bright red bow held back her long blond hair. She seemed to smile right at me.

"It must be nice to be Sailor V," I sighed. "You don't have to worry about tests and I bet that catching bad guys feels pretty good. Me, on the other hand..." I pulled out my crumpled test and looked it over once more. "I don't want to have to take this home!" I wailed. With a sniffle, I turned and forced myself to keep marching homeward.

Finally I arrived at the two-story building that my family called home. Before going inside, I stuffed the test into one of the pockets of my bag. _Maybe Mom will forget about the test,_ I thought hopefully.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside. "I'm home!" I announced.

Mom appeared from the kitchen. "You're late," she said with a smile.

"Just a bit," I replied.

"I bumped into Umino when I went to the store. He said you got your test back."

I gritted my teeth together. That Umino...I was going the throttle him.

"Umino said that he got a 95," Mom continued.

"Oh, really?" I forced a laugh. "Isn't that amazing?" _Umino has got such a big mouth,_ I muttered silently.

"And what did you get, Usagi?"

I racked my brain for an excuse. Some way of avoiding having to show her my test. After a couple of minutes of my silence, Mom's smile grew tighter. "Let me see."

Resigning myself to my fate, I reached into my bag and handed her the test.

It took less than a second for her to react the way I knew she would. "USAGI!"

I cringed. "Yes?"

"I'm not letting you into this house with such a bad score!" Grabbing my arm, she led me to the door and dropped my outside. Then she slammed the door and locked it.

"Mama!" I wailed, throwing myself against the door.

"I can't hear you!" she yelled back.

I was too busy crying to notice my little brother sneaking up on me until after his foot made contact with my rear. With a yelp, I turned to face him.

"What are you doing, stupid Usagi?" he questioned. "Did you get locked out again?" He shook his head. "I want a better sister."

I gaped at him. "What the-! You're my little brother and you say that?" I grabbed at him, but he slipped through my grasp bolted towards the door. It opened slightly and he jumped in. Then he turned and spit his tongue at me.

"Why you-!" I prepared myself. "Sailor V kick!" I swung my leg hard and fast at him...and ended up connecting with the once-again locked door. "Owww!" Tears streamed from my eyes as I hopped and whined. "Mama! Please let me in!"

After several minutes of my wailing, Mom finally opened the door and dragged me in. "Quit your screaming already! The neighbors are going to call the police or something!"

I nodded and sniffled. Then I turned to head upstairs, but Mom made me stay and listen to another "you're-never-going-to-get-anywhere-in-life-if-you-don't-shape-up" lecture. I hung my head and nodded at frequent intervals to let her know that I understood.

Finally I was able to escape up to my room. I immediately rolled onto my bed. My eyes were heavy from crying and from getting up so early. I yawned and snuggled against my pillow. "I'll just get a little bit of sleep before I do my homework."

Slowly I began to doze off. Suddenly, the slamming of my window snapped me awake. _How long have I been laying here?_ I wondered. I glance up at my clock. Only a couple of minutes. Which meant that no except me would be in here. Slowly I turned my head to look over at the window.

A small black figure stared back at me. I jumped up, startled. Then I realized what it was. "Oh," I gasped, "it's just that crescent moon bald-spotted kitty."

"It's not a bald spot!" the cat objected. "How rude."

I gaped. Then I shot off the bed and peeked over the covers at the feline. "The cat talked..." I gasped out. "The cat is talking to me!"

The cat sat up straight and seemed to clear its throat. "My name is Luna. I've been looking for you, Usagi-chan."

My eyes got even wider, if that was possible. I started shaking out of pure fear.

"Oh, I need to thank you first," the cat seemed to suddenly remember. "Thank you very much."

I stared at it._ Thank me for what?_

"You really helped me out by removing that band-aid," it explained. "I can't talk and my sensory powers are dulled when it is covered. I was having trouble before you came." It stood up and stepped daintily closer. "But, thanks to you, I finally found you!"

The cat came close to me and looked into my eyes. I immediately dropped my head onto the bed. "Goodnight," I said. This had to be a dream. There was simply no other explanation.

"Usagi-chan!" it cried in exasperation. "This is not a dream!" I ignored her, even when she started pounding on my head. Finally, the cat backed off. "Fine then, I'll wake you up!" she muttered.

I kept my eyes tightly closed. I heard a slight tingling sound and then there was a thump on the bed. Unable to resist, I peeked one eye open. A gold brooch of some kind lay on the bed. "Usagi-chan, this is a present for you," the cat presented.

I immediately perked up. "Really? I can keep this?" I stood up and began to pin it on my uniform. "Thanks!" I ran over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. The cat continued jabbering, but I wasn't really listening.

The cat suddenly jumped in front of me, blocking my view. "Usagi-chan, you're going to have to fight these enemies. You are a chosen one." She leaned closer. "And your mission is to find the Princess and the other ones."

I thought about it. A Princess...and me being chosen... "That sounds pretty cool," I admitted, grinning.

"You still don't believe me, do you?" the cat questioned.

"No, I believe you, I believe you!" I insisted, going back to admiring my brooch.

"Really?" the cat raised an eyebrow...if that was possible. "Then repeat after me. Moon Prism Power! Make-up!"

"All right!" I agreed easily. "Moon Prism Power, Make-up!" As if I had done it before, I raised my hand in the air. Suddenly a burst of energy swirled around me. My clothes seemed to vanish. A swirl of ribbons wrapped around me and became a leotard, gloves, boots, and a skirt. Lastly, there was a glow on my forehead and a tiara appeared. I raised my hands and posed, one hand on my hip, the other on my forehead.

I blinked and gasped. The energy swirl had disappeared. I caught a glimpse of my clock and realized that almost no time had passed. It was only the intense rush of energy that made it feel so long.

Then I spotted my reflection. "No way! What is this? I've transformed!" I gaped and twisted and turned, looking over my outfit. It was a white leotard with a blue skirt and two red bows, one in front, the other in back. White gloves rimmed in red covered my forearms. On my feet were knee-high red boots with a small crescent moon at the top of each. Around my neck was a red choker and another crescent. On my forehead was a tiara with a red jewel in the center. And, lastly, decorating my hair buns were two red circular clips.

I quickly turned to the cat. Luna, that's what she said her name was. "What is this? What does it mean? Tell me! Tell me!"

Before she could however, a sound echoed through my hair decorations. "Help! Someone! Help me! Help me! It's my mom!"

I immediately recognized the voice. "That's Naru-chan! What does this mean?"

"Now do you believe me?" she questioned.

"I don't really get it," I replied, "but Naru-chan seems to be in danger!"

"Usagi-chan," she said, leaning closer. "You have become Sailor Moon! Now go and save her quickly!"

I thought about it. _I'll be just like Sailor V! And everyone will want to have a poster of me!_ A bunch of ideas flew through me head. In any case, I was ready to go. I headed for the stairs.

"Hold it!" Luna's voice stopped me. "You can't go that way. Your parents and your brother are down there. That can't see you like this."

"But how am I going to help Naru-chan?" I objected.

"You'll have to use the window," she said matter-of-factly.

I walked over to window and looked down. "I can't go out the window!" I cried. "I'm two stories up!"

"Trust me," Luna said, her big red eyes reflecting the moon outside. Looking into those eyes seemed to fill me with confidence. I opened the window, then closed my eyes and jumped. I landed easily in a crouch, as though I'd done it millions of times.

"Wow!" I gasped, straightening.

Luna used a nearby tree and came down after me. "You see? You're a lot stronger now and you'll be able to do things you never did before. Now come on!"

She raced off and I hurried after her. I was again amazed by my new abilities, as I was able to keep up with her easily. The scenery flew past. In no time at all, I stood outside Osa-P Jewelry Store. I flung open the door. It was dark inside, but I could make out the form of a large person towering over Naru.

"Get away from Naru-chan!" I shouted.

A deep, creaky voice answered me. "Who are you?"

I hesitated. "Well, um..." Then suddenly the words seemed to appear in my head. "I'm the Sailor Soldier of Love and Justice!" I exclaimed. "Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

"Sailor Moon?" the voice creaked. "I've never heard of any such thing." The figure turned toward me and raised its arms. "Awaken! My slaves that gave their energy to my great ruler!"

Suddenly, I saw movement from all corners of the store. A bunch of people stood up and began moving toward me, eyes blank and hands extended. "Hey, what the heck are you people?" I cried, backing up.

The people didn't answer, but instead, flung themselves at me. With my new reaction times, I was able to dodge them...but just barely. I shrieked as people flew past. It wasn't long before I found myself facedown on the floor. I looked up...and pulled myself forward just in time to avoid being hit with a broken bottle. I crashed against a pillar.

I felt a sharp pain in my knee. I looked down and cried, "Oh no, I'm bleeding!"

"What are you doing, Sailor Moon?" Luna demanded. "You have to fight and destroy that monster!"

The monster in question rose above the crowd of blank faces. I could see it more clearly now and it was scary. "Why?" I wailed. "Why is this happening to me? I want to go home!"

"This is the end!" the monster shrieked and reached her arm for me. I froze in fear and could do nothing but scream.

Suddenly, there was a sharp zigzag of energy and something struck the ground in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes as the monster shouted, "Who's there!"

High up, in one of the large windows, a caped figure stood. "I am Tuxedo Kamen!" a strong male voice called down. "Crying isn't going to solve anything, Sailor Moon."

"But...I..." I sobbed. Then the sob became a full-out wail. As I cried, I became aware that the sound was echoing strangely around. I looked around through my tears and saw that everyone had fallen down and that the monster was holding its head as if in pain.

"Now, take off your tiara and throw it!" Luna instructed from behind me. "Shout 'Moon Tiara Action'!"

"Why do I have to that?" I sniffled, standing up.

"Just hurry and do it!"

Still sniffling, I did as she said. I pulled off my tiara. It twirled around and floated above my head, forming some sort of glowing Frisbee. I spun around to gain momentum and threw it. "Moon Tiara Action!"

The glowing Frisbee flew through the air, straight and true. The monster looked up and had just time to scream before it struck. I stared, stunned, as the monster dissolved into sand and vanished.

"Good job, Sailor Moon!" I looked up and saw Tuxedo Kamen still standing there. "I'll remember this night." He pulled his cape around him and jumped from the window.

I gazed after him. "He's so cool and gorgeous," I murmured.

Eventually, Luna managed to get my attention. "We should go before anyone wakes up," she replied. Still dreaming over Tuxedo Kamen, I agreed.

About halfway back home, I stopped. "Um, Luna?" I asked. "How do I undo the Sailor Moon thing?"

"Push the center of your brooch," she replied.

I did so, and the outfit dissolved into ribbons, which then reformed my clothing. I felt a wave of fatigue rush over me as well. I stumbled against the side of a building. "I feel exhausted."

Luna nodded sympathetically. "Your body isn't used to handling so much energy. After a while, you will grow accustomed to it and you won't feel so tired afterward."

Pulling myself up, I dragged and staggered my way home. I opened the door and crawled upstairs, ignoring my family's calls. I fell into bed and was asleep almost immediately.

The next morning, I woke up as usual to my mother's shouts. I stretched. I felt strangely tired. _What a strange dream,_ I thought. _I was a superhero like Sailor V._ Another shout from Mom and I was up and rushing around.

For once, I managed to make it to school before the bell rang. I immediately dropped my head onto my desk and yawned. Above me, I heard some of the other girls talking. Then I recognized Naru's voice. "Hey, I had a wonderful dream last night! A warrior of justice named Sailor Moon appeared and destroyed this monster!"

Awake again now, I listened to some of the other girls. "What? I had the same dream!"

"Me too!"

"How strange!"

I sighed. So it hadn't been a dream. Well, maybe, just maybe, that wasn't a bad thing. I laid my head back down and tried to doze again.

"Hey, Usagi! Usagi! Listen!" Naru called, shaking me.

I lifted my head slightly. "Be quiet, please. I'm tired, so let me sleep a little more." I yawned and mumbled, "Good night."

**Mamoru:**

_A woman's voice echoed through the mist. I couldn't make out her words, but it sounded like she needed help. I pushed forward, struggling to see. I could almost make out-_

Suddenly, I jerked awake to the sound of my alarm. I hit the 'off' switch and lay back, breathing heavily. This wasn't the first time that I'd had that dream. However, this time, it was different. There had been a woman. _What does that mean?_ I wondered. I thought for a second, then shook my head and got up.

"It's just a dream," I muttered to myself. "It doesn't have to mean anything." I squashed the thoughts deep inside of me and got dressed for my morning jog.

I stepped outside and breathed in the morning air. Not exactly fresh, but nice and cool. I did a few warm-ups, and then settled into a good 5 mph pace.

As I jogged, the dream came back to me unbidden. I relived the details. Just before I woke up, I had been approaching something. I struggled to pierce the memory and bring it out. It had been large, I knew that much, but I couldn't make out anything else. I muttered to myself and stepped up my pace, trying to outrun my thoughts.

I was breathing and sweating heavily by the time I arrived back at my apartment. Despite my fatigue, I decided to use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Once back upstairs, I showered leisurely and took my time eating breakfast. With a glance at the clock, I realized that it was time to get going, or I would be late for classes. I made myself a quick lunch, gathered my things, and left for the bus stop.

It was a 15-minute ride to get to my stop. From there, it was a 2-minute walk to Moto Azabu High School.

Nearly as soon as I stepped onto the campus, I was overwhelmed by a large number of girls who offered me various packaged lunches. Pressing my way through, I managed to escape around the corner. I sighed with relief as the group disappeared.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my shoulder. I whirled, ready to face another group of adoring girls. I relaxed and my friend, Furuhata Motoki, laughed.

"The pressure of being popular?"

I nodded and smiled. "It's not that bad."

"Then why are you hiding?"

I opened my mouth, but he had me there. I shrugged and we both laughed again. "Come on, let's get to class."

We made it almost all the way to the room uninterrupted. As we walked down one hallway, a girl stepped out of the shadows of another. "Good morning, Mamoru-sama." She blinked her eyelashes and flipped her dark, wavy hair over her shoulder.

I sighed inwardly, but pasted on a smile. "Hello, Kotono-chan."

Kotono held up a decorated bag. "I made a lunch for you."

I held up the lunch I'd packed that morning. "Thanks, but I already have lunch."

Her smile faltered. "Oh...did someone else give that to you?"

I shook my head. "No, I made it myself."

Her smile returned full-force. "You are so amazing, Mamoru-sama! Cooking and making a homemade lunch!" She reached down into her bag and pulled something out. "And for such a wonderful lunch, as I'm sure it is, you need a wonderful homemade dessert!" She handed me the package and skipped away before I could come up with an excuse.

Motoki slapped my shoulder. "Mamoru, you are quite the lady-charmer!"

I looked down at the package in my hands. "I wish I knew how to un-charm them," I muttered.

During the rest of the day, I managed to successfully avoid any more crazy girls. Motoki and I met after school and I walked him to his family's business, the Crown Game Center. We talked for a few minutes and then he had to get started with work. Since I had some studying to do, I left for my apartment.

Now by myself again, thoughts of my dream came back to me. This time, I didn't shove them away immediately. I had been having that dream for a couple of weeks now. It came regularly almost every night. I wondered it there was something significant about the woman.

I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn't even notice the ball of paper until it landed on my head. "Ow!" I said, rubbing the spot where it hit. It hadn't really hurt, but I didn't appreciate being yanked out of my reverie so suddenly.

I picked it up and looked around, searching for the perpetrator. My eyes fell on a young blond who was blushing and biting her lip. My eyes narrowed. "Hey, that hurt, dumpling head!" I growled, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Her face immediately changed from apologetic to furious, especially when she saw that I was unfolding it.

It was a test, covered with red marks. "Thirty percent?" I asked in disbelief as I looked at the score. I couldn't help myself and began chuckling.

"Hey!" she yelled at me.

"You should study harder, dumpling head," I teased, enjoying her reaction.

She stomped over to me and yanked the test out of my hands. "It's none of your business!" she shouted in my face. Then she turned and marched off.

I shook my head, watching her go. It was nice to meet a girl who didn't have a crush on me from the moment she laid eyes on me.

I looked at the store that she must come out of. _Osa-P Jewelry Store..._ For some reason, the place seemed to draw me in and hold me there. I couldn't explain the feeling. I removed my sunglasses and stepped closer, peeking inside. All I could see were signs advertising some big sale and a bunch of women rushing around. I shrugged and chalked it up to my imagination. Then I resumed my walk home.

I flipped on the lights in my apartment. All that was there to greet me was emptiness. I sighed and pulled out my homework. No sense in just sitting around doing nothing. I immersed myself in my work.

It was hours later when I rubbed my eyes and closed my books. I'd done everything I could. I got up and went in to the kitchen and made myself a snack. I glanced out the window and was surprised at how dark it was. I looked down at my watch. 5:00, it said. _How on earth did it get so late?_ I wondered. _And why was it so dark?_ Oh, well, no matter.

I yawned and headed back into the living room and sat in front of the TV. I began flipping through channels randomly. Slowly, my eyes started to drift shut. At first, I tried to stay awake, then I decided that it didn't matter. I would just give them a little rest, that's all. I leaned my head back and relaxed.

Slowly I came awake. The surface that I was laying on seemed awful hard. I shifted and bumped into something that rattled. Muttering slightly, I shook my head and opened my eyes. Then I blinked and rubbed them.

_That's strange.._. I thought. I couldn't recall falling asleep on the balcony. I squinted, trying to remember. The last thing I had been doing was watching TV. So how could I have ended up out here? I looked down at my watch. 10:00, it read.

I stood up slowly and moved past the open balcony door and inside my living room. The television was on, still on the channel that I could last remember watching.

I shook my head as I turned it off. _I must be studying too much,_ I decided. I headed for my bedroom and settled in for a good night's sleep.

_"Please..." The woman's voice echoed through the mist. I struggled to move forward. "Please..." she called again, desperately. She said something more but I couldn't make it out. I clenched my fist. The feeling of fabric made me look down. I wore a white glove on my hand and a black sleeve on my arm._

_"Please..." I looked up and forgot about my strange clothing as I pressed onward. I was getting closer..._

The shrill alarm of my clock woke me. I jerked up, disoriented. My sheets were tangled and I was sweating. I hit the alarm and fell back.

"Again?" I muttered. I had never been so involved in my dream before. It used to be feel almost as though I was a spectator, but this time I was able to feel my hands and look around. Somewhere, inside me, I knew that something had changed. And, although I didn't want to admit it to myself, I was sure that it had something to do with my mysterious sleepwalking yesterday.

I rubbed my head and sat up. This dream was going to be the end of me.

I left for my run, hoping that that would get my mind off of it. I felt a little better once I returned. I picked up the newspaper and carried it inside.

I sipped my coffee slowly as I read through the headlines. One in particular caught my eye.

**Local Jewelry Store Has Unexplained Blackout**

Curious, I began reading the story. The paper said that there had been a number of people who had blacked out after purchasing jewelry from Osa-P Jewelry Store. I frowned. Why did that name strike a bell? Then I remembered. That was the place that I had met that dumpling blond at; the place that felt so strange when I had looked at it.

Now thoroughly interested, I read more. Apparently, late in the day, just before closing at 8:00, the store had become strangely dark. Passerby had said that there had been a large commotion and several loud screams. When police arrived on the scene, the only things they found were several customers unconscious and semi-conscious on the floor. When asked what had happened, most said that they had felt strangely faint and had collapsed. A few said that they had been rescued from an intruder by a girl named Sailor Moon.

As I read that name, I chill passed through me. What was it about that name? I thought, but I couldn't connect a picture or any sort of memory to it. However, I was sure that this person was someone that I had met. What made me so sure, I didn't know. I wondered if the paper had any more information.

According to its sources, the paper said that security tapes had been reviewed. There had been a large blank space on every single one, but after the space, there had been pictures of a couple of blurry figures on a couple of the tapes. Two people had been picked out, but police were unsure of whether there could have been others or not. There was no evidence that either of the characters was Sailor Moon, but many were sure that the more brightly colored figure could be her.

A picture in the paper showed a capture from one of the tapes. One figure, only a flash of color, appeared to be running for the door. Another, very dark, looked to be jumping out of a window.

I stared at the dark figure. I was drawn to the picture in a way that I had never experienced. I reached out and touched it, but didn't receive any type of revelation.

Finally, I pulled myself out of my trance and moved my fingers back. I really was going crazy. I headed for the shower and determined to put this dream business and now this Sailor Moon business out of my head.

**Luna:**

Slowly I awoke. I looked around and found myself lying in an alley. It was cold and dirty. I shivered and tried to remember how I got here. Slowly, bits and pieces of memory came back to me. My name was Luna. Something extremely bad had happened. If I didn't find and awaken the girl warrior named Sailor Moon, something extremely bad would happen again. This much I knew for sure, but most of my memory seemed to be strangely blank.

I staggered to my feet and moved slowly and carefully to the end of the alley to take better stock of my surroundings. The bright sunlight temporarily blinded me and I blinked several times. I stared at the various buildings and all the people rushing by. Somehow, I knew that this place was not my home and that it was entirely strange to me.

Gradually, I overcame my sense of being overwhelmed and moved out into the crowd. The language of the people hurrying above me and the words on the signs around me were totally foreign. I automatically put my mind to learning and translating this new language.

I wandered randomly, looking here, listening there, and, little by little, I began to understand. At one point, it occurred to me to wonder how I could learn so fast. Once again, I found that I just knew, somewhere inside of me, that it was an ability I had. Although I couldn't really remember anything, I had several bits of knowledge inside me. I decided to let my instincts and the bits of knowledge to guide me and help me as I searched for the girl named Sailor Moon.

By the end of the day, I understood at least half of all that was spoken around me and I could read about a quarter of the signs. I found my way to another dark alley and curled up in a small space. I yawned and stretched and fell asleep quickly, exhausted by the day's work.

The next day passed much the same way. I could understand almost all the things I heard or read around me by the end of that day. I was also learning a good deal about the layout of the rather large city that I found myself in; a place called Tokyo.

The third day I awoke and realized that I had a new problem. I was thirsty and hungry. I headed for a food district that I had passed yesterday.

Once there, I became conscious of the fact that I had no way of purchasing any food. And, observing the actions of various people, I had the feeling that the stores weren't going to be too willing to give me anything either. I hovered near an entrance, wondering what to do.

Suddenly, a sharp cat cry cut through the air. I hurried around the back of a restaurant toward it, just in time to see a cat fly through the air and hit a trash can. "You stay out of here!" yelled the person who threw the animal. The cat ignored the man, and began digging through the trash can and calmly gnawing on scraps.

I glanced at the door then back at the cat. Hesitatingly, I climbed up onto the trash can as well and began digging through it. Most of the food was rotting and gave off a horrible smell.

I backed away. This wasn't right. There should never be any reason for a cat of my station to-. I stopped. What kind of cat was I? I was obviously different from the dozens of other felines roaming the streets. For one thing, I could think and talk. And unless they were all playing dumb, none of the others could.

I stepped over to a nearby window and peered at my shadowy reflection. I looked like any other cat. I had four legs, two ears, two eyes, a nose, and beautiful dark coat of fur. Although...I looked closer. In the middle of my forehead was a yellow crescent moon. I rubbed at the spot with my paw and couldn't feel it, but that didn't change the fact that it was still there, setting me apart from the rest.

I hopped down and left the alley, my hunger temporarily forgotten. Once again I tried to remember something of my past. Anything that would give me a better understanding of who I was and why I was here.

After several hours of wandering, I found myself in a park. I lay down on the soft grass and sighed. Try as I might, I couldn't remember any specifics, although a few general details had come back to me. I had held a high position in a royal court a long time ago in a place far from here. There had been another kingdom that had destroyed the one that I had been a part of. Now, there was a threat to this world, and it was my responsibility to awaken the one person who could defeat it: Sailor Moon.

I rolled over and spotted a stream. I walked over to and drank deeply. As soon as I finished, my hunger returned with a vengeance. I had to get some food or I would never be able to find Sailor Moon.

A sound attracted my attention and I moved to investigate. On the other side of a row of bushes, a young couple was having a picnic. My mouth watered as I eyed their food. Slowly I crept closer, unsure of what to do. Finally, my hunger overcame my uncertainty, and I decided to approach.

I walked straight towards them and meowed pitifully. "Oh, what a cute kitty!" the girl immediately crooned.

"It's got a funny crescent-shaped bald spot though," the boy pointed out.

I flattened my ears and bristled slightly. I might not know what the crescent represented, but I knew that it certainly wasn't a bald spot!

"Oh, you hurt its feelings," the girl said. She reached out for me and I allowed her to pick me up. I even began purring. "Don't you worry, little kitty, you look just fine. Are you hungry?"

I meowed in response and she reached for a dumpling, holding it in front of me. I immediately pounced on it. The taste was rather strange to me, but it wasn't bad and, in any case, it filled my empty stomach.

"Oh, you poor thing, you must be half-starved." The girl put more food in front of me and continued to eat until I could hold no more. All the while, the girl kept stroking me, and talking about how cute I was, how soft I was, how lucky it was that she had found me, etc., until I finally just tuned her out.

When I had finished eating, and nuzzled up to the girl, purring my thanks, I hurried on my way. She called after me, but I couldn't let anything distract me now. I knew the language, I knew my mission and it was time to buckle down and start searching.

And so, time passed. I spent my days alternately searching and begging for food and I spent my nights in any comfortable and secluded spot. A few times I had a run in with the local animal shelter, but I was able to escape them easily with my knowledge.

Over the weeks, certain memories came back, too. Some just returned for no reason, but others were triggered by my surroundings. Once incident in particular happened when I was sleeping in a park. I woke up in the middle of the night and happened to look up at the moon. Its bright light comforted me and, suddenly, it hit me. The name of the royal court I had served at was the Moon Kingdom, during the Silver Millennium, located by the Sea of Serenity. _How could I have forgotten that?_ I wondered. Other details were still fuzzy, but I was grateful to have such a large piece of my memory back.

Another thing I did when I wasn't searching was learning other skills useful for the world that I was in. The foremost of these were computer skills, which I learned by sneaking into a library and spending a few nights there. I was able to utilize these skills to help me on my search by mapping out places I had already been and highlighting areas where I thought Sailor Moon might be.

My days fell into a simple routine. I woke up, searched for a large portion of the day, got food, and slept. Over time, I grew to be rather careless, so it shouldn't have surprised me when, a couple of months after I had arrived, I found myself in a sticky situation.

I had awoken as usual, but when I heedlessly jumped out of my sleeping hole, I found my way blocked by a pair of shoes. I went to move around them, only to discover that I was blocked on all sides by a trio of young boys.

"Look, it wants to play!" one boy shouted.

"Then let's play with it," another replied in a tone which made me quite nervous.

The boys reached for me and backed away, hissing and snarling. Unfortunately, it was impossible for me to avoid all of them at once and I soon found myself a helpless prisoner.

I was pulled and jerked this way and that, like a doll. I managed to scratch several times, but that only seemed to encourage them. Suddenly, one of the boys shouted, "Hey, look what found!" He held up a pair of band-aids.

"Let's put them on its bald spot!" another suggested.

_Bald spot?_ I wondered. Then I realized that they were talking about my crescent moon. I struggled all the more, but it was no use. The boys pasted the two band-aids squarely on my forehead, completely covering the moon.

That when I realized just how special that crescent was. I gasped when I realized that I couldn't understand a word that those boys were saying! One of them suddenly picked me up and began running, jarring me with every step. I tried to get loose, but I was pinned tight. I tried to watch the street signs to see where I was being taken, but, to my horror, I couldn't read them either!

I had lost my only method of communication and understanding with the people around me. And there was nothing I could do.

Eventually, the boys stopped in a parking lot, where they continued to 'play' with me. Suddenly, a girl's shrill voice interrupted them. They dropped me and ran off. I slumped to the ground in relief, then immediately set to work to take off the band-aids.

The girl reached down and picked me up. Despite the fact that she had saved me, I wasn't feeling to trustful of humans at the moment and struggled against her hold. Then she reached out and jerked off the band-aids.

I let out a painful yowl and sprang away. I rubbed my head where several hairs had been yanked out.

Jumping onto a car, I turned and took my first good look at my rescuer. She had long, blond hair tied up in a style that reminded me of the dumplings that I ate on occasion. She looked young, maybe about 14, and wore an unfamiliar school uniform. Then I looked into her eyes.

A powerful jolt surged through me as I stared into her crystal blue eyes. _Could it be?_ I wondered. _Could this girl be Sailor Moon?_

We gazed at each other for several long moments. Then the spell was broken as a bell rang in the distance. The girl let out a shriek and bolted off, crying, "Now I'm really going to be late!"

I watched her go and then I leaped down and chased after her. Although I could have run right up next to her easily, I stayed just out her sight. She finally ran into a school. I halted at the gate and looked it over. "Juuban Municipal Junior High School," I read, grateful that my reading skills were back.

Glancing around to make sure that no one was looking, I slipped past the gate and inside the school. I crept carefully past the classrooms, making sure avoid being seen. After a bit of searching, I found an empty computer lab. I snuck inside and turned one of them on. Then I began searching the files, checking the door every so often to make sure that I wasn't seen. Eventually, I found the file that I was looking for.

"Tsukino Usagi, Grade 8, Age 14" the file read. I grimaced as I looked at her grades. _How could such a girl be Sailor Moon?_ I wondered. _Well, perhaps she's better athletically than she is academically. After all, she was running to school this morning._

I scanned the rest of the information and committed it to memory. Then I exited the program and turned off the computer. I moved out into the hall. It was time to do a little spying.

Throughout the day, I kept an eye on the blond girl I now knew as Tsukino Usagi. However, I began to doubt my first impressions about her as I saw her performance. She was clumsy and a crybaby. It took her two minutes to begin wailing in gym. Her teachers complained about her lack of attention as though it was a frequent thing.

By the time she left school, I was seriously wondering if I had just imagined everything. But this girl was the best lead I had after several months of searching and I wasn't about to just give up.

After school, Usagi headed to a jewelry store. I tried to sneak into it after her, but unfortunately, the store was more on top of things than the school was. I paced outside, waiting for her.

Slowly I became aware of a strange feeling about the building. I moved away and over to the store next door and the feeling vanished. I came back and it returned, stronger this time. And it was strangely familiar too. I gasped. Could it be...the same force that destroyed the Moon Kingdom? I knew that I would have to find out more, regardless of whether Usagi turned out to be Sailor Moon or not.

Suddenly, I saw Usagi come out of the store. I quickly moved into position to follow her, but she stood still for several moments, looking at a test. Then she crumpled it and threw it over her shoulder. I winced slightly, seeing exactly where it would land: directly on a man who was walking behind her.

"Hey, that hurt, dumpling head!" he yelled. I watched the exchange between the two of them with amusement. It appeared that Usagi could be quite passionate when the occasion suited her. Maybe she was a good candidate for Sailor Moon after all.

On her way home, Usagi stopped by an arcade. She seemed to be quite fascinated by one of the posters. As soon as she moved on, I came forward to look at it. "Sailor V video game" the poster advertised. _Sailor V..._ the name struck a chord in me. I wondered if she had anything to do with Sailor Moon. I glanced up at to look at Usagi...only to find that I could no longer see her. I hurriedly rushed to catch up with her, but to my chagrin, she didn't seem to be anywhere around. I groaned inwardly. Good thing I had memorized her address. It would just take me longer to get there.

It was late afternoon by the time that I found myself gazing at the name "Tsukino" on the mailbox. I studied the house. It was a lovely two-story, painted a nice beige color, and surrounded by green grass and a small wall.

Then I noticed a conveniently located tree, just under an equally convenient open window. I darted over to it and began ascending into its branches, easily leaping from limb to limb. Once I reached the window, it took a little bit of fancy paw and claw-work in order to get the window open far enough for me to slip in.

My eyes adjusted rapidly to the dark interior. Looking around at the furnishings and decorations, I surmised that I must be in Usagi's room. Then I noticed a lump on the bed, which I realized had to be Usagi herself, taking a nap.

As I debated how I should wake her, the window suddenly blew shut behind me, saving me the decision. The girl sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked around and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw me. "Oh," she gasped, "it's just that crescent moon bald-spotted kitty."

"It's not a bald spot!" I objected. "How rude."

Usagi shot away from me and over the side of the bed like a bullet. "The cat talked..." she gasped out. "The cat is talking to me!"

As I gazed into her wide blue eyes, I felt that electric bolt again and I knew that she had to be the one. I sat straighter and cleared my throat. "My name is Luna. I've been looking for you, Usagi-chan." Her eyes got even wider, if that was possible, and she looked like she might faint.

"Oh, I need to thank you first," I said, thinking that a slight change of subject might help her to focus. "Thank you very much." She looked at me in utter confusion. "You really helped me out by removing that band-aid," I explained. "I can't talk and my sensory powers are dulled when it is covered. I was having trouble before you came." I stood up and stepped daintily closer. "But, thanks to you, I finally found you!"

Usagi stared at me. Then she dropped her head onto the covers. "Goodnight!"

I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. Surely she didn't expect me to disappear like a figment of her imagination! "Usagi-chan!" I yelled in her ear. "This is not a dream!" When she didn't respond, I began pounding on her head in exasperation. Finally, I backed away and sat down. _What will it take to get her attention?_ Then I remembered her reaction in the jewelry store. Perhaps a bribe...?

I sprang to my feet and then performed a back somersault in the air. I was surprised at myself, and even more surprised when my actions produced results; namely, a brooch. It seemed that there were many things that I still didn't fully remember. But as long as I followed my instincts, everything would be fine...I hoped.

I picked up the brooch. "Usagi-chan, this is a present for you," I presented, holding it out to her.

She immediately perked up. "Really? I can keep this?" Usagi stood up and pinned it on her uniform. "Thanks!" She ran over to the mirror and admired reflection.

I sat back and began to explain the little I knew about her mission. The words flowed from me, telling me things that I hadn't fully known until that moment. "You are Sailor Moon, a warrior to save the world from an imminent threat. You must use the brooch and transform..." I trailed off as I realized that she wasn't listening.

Sighing, I jumped in front of her, blocking her view of the mirror. "Usagi-chan, you're going to have to fight these enemies. You are a chosen one." I leaned closer, trying to add importance and emphasis to my words. "And your mission is to find the Princess and the other ones."

She grinned back at me. "That sounds pretty cool."

I could tell from the sound her voice that she hadn't really heard a word I'd said. "You still don't believe me, do you?"

"No, I believe you, I believe you!" she insisted, going back to admiring the brooch.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "Then repeat after me. Moon Prism Power! Make-up!"

"Alright!" she agreed flippantly. "Moon prism power, make-up!"

Suddenly a mad rush of energy filled the room. It vanished almost instantly, leaving Usagi wearing a short-skirted sailor suit, with red boots, white gloves, and a gold tiara. Her hair was decorated with a pair of circular clips. I gazed at her, almost as much in awe as she was. It was amazing to see the fruit of my searching after so many months.

Usagi, or Sailor Moon, as she now was, couldn't stop squealing about it. Suddenly, she was interrupted by a sound coming through her red hair clips. "Help! Someone! Help me! Help me! It's my mom!"

"That's Naru-chan! What does this mean?" Sailor Moon cried.

"Now do you believe me?" I questioned first.

"I don't really get it," she replied, "but Naru-chan seems to be in danger!"

That will have to do, I thought. "Usagi-chan," I said, leaning closer. "You have become Sailor Moon! Now go and save her quickly!"

She immediately started for the door. "Hold it!" I called. "You can't go that way. Your parents and your brother are down there. That can't see you like this."

"But how am I going to help Naru-chan?" she objected.

"You'll have to use the window," I said matter-of-factly.

Sailor Moon walked over to window and looked out. "I can't go out the window!" she cried. "I'm two stories up!"

I rolled my eyes slightly before gazing at her intently. "Trust me."

Sailor Moon looked outside once more before closing her eyes and jumping. I watched her until she landed. She crouched, her legs absorbing the impact easily, as I had known that they would. I quickly leaped down the tree after her. "You see? You're a lot stronger now and you'll be able to do things you never did before. Come on, let's go!"

She nodded and we ran down the street together. In her new form, she was nearly as fast as I was. It was rather hard for me to remember exactly which way to get back to the jewelry store, but thankfully, Sailor Moon knew the way. We reached the place in minutes.

Sailor Moon burst the door open. I could see inside pretty well with my cat eyes, despite the near darkness. I wondered if Sailor Moon could see as clearly as I could. Her next words confirmed that she could see something at least. "Get away from Naru-chan!"

A deep, creaky voice answered. "Who are you?"

She hesitated. "Well, um..." I wondered what to do as well. Did I need to tell her what to say? Thankfully, she remembered on her own. "I'm the Sailor Soldier of Love and Justice! Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!" I couldn't have been more proud.

"Sailor Moon?" the voice creaked. "I've never heard of any such thing." The figure turned and raised its arms. "Awaken! My slaves that gave their energy to my great ruler!"

Suddenly, I saw movement from all corners of the store. Several people, presumably customers from the earlier sale, stood up and began moving toward Sailor Moon, eyes blank and hands extended. "Hey, what the heck are you people?" she cried, backing up.

"Stand firm, Sailor Moon," I encouraged, but she didn't seem to hear me. As the people began flinging themselves at her, she dodged madly, this way and that, screaming the whole time. I dropped my head. So much for being proud. Another loud shriek brought my head up.

"Oh, no, I'm bleeding!"

"What are you doing, Sailor Moon?" I demanded. "You have to fight and destroy that monster!"

The monster in question rose above the crowd of blank faces. Sailor Moon took one look and wailed, "Why? Why is this happening to me? I want to go home!"

"This is the end!" the monster shrieked and extended her arm straight for Sailor Moon.

"Move!" I shouted, but all she did was cower and scream. I watched in horror as the hand and its deadly sharp nails loomed ever closer. Suddenly, there was a sharp zigzag of energy and something struck the ground in between Sailor Moon and the monster. I looked up as the monster shouted, "Who's there!"

High up, in one of the large windows, a caped figure stood. "I am Tuxedo Kamen!" a strong male voice called down. "Crying isn't going to solve anything, Sailor Moon."

I looked back at her, hoping that this would help encourage her to keep fighting.

"But...I..." she began sobbing. Then the sob became a full-out wail. As she cried, I watched in amazement as her hairclips became amplifiers, bouncing the sound around everywhere. The zombies collapsed and the youma clutched her head in pain. I wondered briefly why I wasn't affected, then realized that either it only hurt evil, or I was out of range because of my position behind Sailor Moon. Then I realized that this was the perfect chance to destroy the youma.

"Now, take off your tiara and throw it!" I instructed. "And shout 'Moon Tiara Action'!"

She did as I said, much to my relief. The tiara turned into a glowing Frisbee and flew straight and true, into the youma. The youma let out a strangled cry and disintegrated.

"Good job, Sailor Moon!" the man identified as Tuxedo Kamen called down. "I'll remember this night." He pulled his cape around him and jumped from the window.

"Yes, you did alright for your first time, but we are going to need to do some serious...training..." My voice trailed off. Sailor Moon wasn't listening to me at all.

She stared off in the direction Tuxedo Kamen had been, her eyes dreamy, her hands clasped in front of her. "He's so cool and gorgeous."

I jumped and hit the side of her leg. Finally, she looked down at me. "Are you ready to leave now?"

Still dreamy-eyed, she nodded. I rolled my eyes. Hopefully, this would be the first and last appearance of Tuxedo whatever-he-was-called.

When we were almost all of the way back, Sailor Moon turned to me. "Um, Luna?" she asked. "How do I undo the Sailor Moon thing?"

Once again, I surprised myself by knowing information ahead of time, without conscious knowledge of having learned it. "Push the center of your brooch."

She did so, and the outfit dissolved into ribbons, which then reformed her school uniform. Then she stumbled against the side of a building. "I feel exhausted."

I nodded, sympathetic. "Your body isn't used to handling so much energy. After a while, you will grow accustomed to it and you won't feel so tired afterward."

Under my encouragement (and maybe a threat), she dragged herself up and stumbled the rest of the way home. I couldn't convince her to try to climb the tree up to her room, so we went in the front door. Thankfully, her parents didn't ask a lot of questions.

Usagi just said, "I'm tired. I'm going to bed," and that was good enough for them. She just barely managed to make it upstairs and onto her bed. She was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

I looked down at her and smiled. She was a bit of a crybaby and a klutz, but maybe, just maybe, she would turn out all right. I curled up and slept.


End file.
